Industry Suppliers Get Their Close-Up

Virco, a manufacturer and supplier of furniture and equipment for K-12 schools, recently donated more than $300,000 worth of furniture for students and educators to three schools in partnership with the new NBC TV series, School Pride.

Virco’s donation to Enterprise Middle School in Compton, CA, was featured during the debut episode of School Pride, which aired on October 15, 2010. Two weeks later, the October 29th episode of School Pride focused on Kingston Springs Elementary School in Nashville, TN, where Virco furnished the kindergarten classrooms.

Enterprise Middle School in Compton, CA

Modeled on the popular Extreme Makeover: Home Edition series, which has also featured Virco furniture donations, School Pride highlights the efforts of communities to renovate aging public schools.

In another upcoming episode of School Pride episode — date to be determined — the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) will receive new Virco furniture. School Pride is shown Fridays on NBC at 8:00pm Central time.

In addition to collaborating with School Pride, Virco has donated to schools in partnership with educator-related organizations, including the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP); the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP); and the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International. Another ongoing donation initiative involves the company’s Adopt-A-School Program relationship with South Torrance High School near Virco’s corporate headquarters in Torrance, CA. Sponsored by the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, the Adopt-A-School Program helps to encourage support of the community’s schools by business and government organizations. Since adopting South High in 1995, Virco has donated approximately $150,000 worth of furniture.

In Other Nashville News

Earlier this week, Disaster Kleenup International, Inc., a disaster restoration contracting organization, announced that one of its member companies, Commercial Cleaning Systems of Nashville, TN, is participating in the ABC Series, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, by surprising the Lighthouse School and the Sweatt family in Antioch, TN. (The episode airs this Sunday, November 14, at 8:00pm, Eastern Time.)

During the 1,000 year flood that occurred in Nashville on May 1, 2010, the Lighthouse School and the Sweatt family, who runs the facility, became nationally known when news stations featured footage of their preschool building floating down the interstate. Eight of the school’s 18 buildings were damaged beyond repair in the storms, and the preschool was completely demolished. With finances nearly depleted, Lighthouse, which has been operating for 30 years, was under threat of being shut down.

To help the Sweatt family with their school facilities, several celebrated performers, along with team leader Ty Pennington, designers Leigh Anne Tuohy, Paul DiMeo, and Tracy Hutson with LP Building Products, Hardaway Construction, and DKI’s Commercial Cleaning Systems joined forces to build a new 6,500 square foot preschool building.

Commercial Cleaning Systems assisted by providing drying and cleaning services, including dehumidification and round the clock monitoring and labor to expedite the drying of the drywall, primer, and paint in the interior and exterior. The project was completed September 10-17.

Meanwhile, DKI is the selected dry down and cleaning vendor for Season 8 of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Thus far, the company has been involved in six projects this season.

Once completed, the facility was furnished with donated items from The HON Company, a designer and manufacturer of workplace furnishings. All told, the company outfitted four classrooms, a lounge, a reception area, and two administrative offices. The products donated were SmartLink classroom furniture systems; Vicinity desks and storage for office spaces; and chairs from the company’s Ignition seating series.

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